Unfortunately this one was a miss for me. There really was not a lot happening until 50% into the book and it really didn't keep my focus. I found the main character a bit bland and it increased my annoyance with her that she doesn't actually do anything in this book. She really doesn't figure out anything that quickly and doesn't even save herself.

3.5 stars for this book! I felt that the beginning was a little too slow for my liking. I felt myself skimming to try and get through the beginning. Once the characters got to the house the book really picked up and I was hooked. It reminded me of And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie because you are trying to guess who in the group is the killer. Overall an enjoyable read! Thank you to NetGalley and HQ for this ARC..

Review featured at www.books-n-kisses.com

2.75 Hearts Honestly this was not for me. I gave it 3 stars because the writing was well done but I am realizing that I do not like the locked down mysteries that seem to be a big thing right now.

I liked some of the characters and like I said the writing was good. I ended up skimming a number of pages reading the conversations to get the gist of the story.

This trend is not for me but the writing was well done if I had been interested in the storyline more.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Wow what an excellent read! I absolutely loved this, and couldn't put it down until the end.

An excellent mystery full of twists and shocks. Reminded me a little of Virginia Andrews, flowers in the attic type books.

I'd highly recommend this book.

Creepy, dark and uncomfortable, this has all the ingredients for an addictive thriller- I was not keen on reading this novel on my own late at night!

It moves at a good pace, and the descriptions made me able to imagine the setting very vividly.

Most of the way through I was unsure who had done what, my only criticism would be that the ending seemed to wrap things up rather speedily.

Gothic suspense and locked room style mystery? This was a great read! I was kept guessing until the end and the twist did not disappoint!

The Island House is a fantastic standalone psychological thriller by Amanda Brittany.

In January 2019 Alice Hadley's father dies when he is hit by a car, triggering memories for Alice when she was a child and leaving her with unanswered questions. A few months later, she receives a letter with a photograph inside; a picture of a gothic house which is now a boutique hotel. She decides to visit the hotel taking her boyfriend, Leon along too as she is convinced that the place has links to her past.

Told in dual timelines from 2019 and from 1976 onwards, I dived straight into this with fervour. It was captivating and briskly paced with more than enough incidences taking place to retain my interest. Once hooked, I was glued to the pages and it was a ride of surprises. With its stylish and tense plot, the story effortlessly flowed and there was never a dull moment as the plot beelined for the finale. With a clear Gothic tone, I warmed to the protagonist and sculptor Alice pretty quickly even though she was a little strange and I thoroughly enjoyed my time with her. There was a good blend of characters generally, some likeable, others not so much. Overall, a great unnerving thriller.

Disclosure: Thank you to HQ for providing a digital ARC of The Island House by Amanda Brittany, via Netgalley for review. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I read the synopsis for ‘The Island House’ and it certainly sounded like the creepy read I particularly enjoy. So without further ado, I grabbed a cup of tea, grabbed my Kindle and settled down for what I hoped would be an interesting and at the same time creepy read. Well it was certainly that and so much more. I really enjoyed reading ‘The Island House’ but more about that in a bit.
I must admit that it took me a little while to get into ‘The Island House’. I think part of the reason was that I didn’t immediately gel with any of the characters so I found it hard to feel anything for them. Plus I was tired when I first started reading the book and I was finding it hard to concentrate for any length of time. Once I got into the story then that was it and I was away. This wasn’t one of those books that I was able to read all in one go but I binge read the book in bursts. I would become so wrapped up in the story that I would lose all track of time and just how long I had been reading for. I found ‘The Island House’ to be a gripping read, which kept me guessing and which kept me on the edge of my seat.
‘The Island House’ is well written. I love the twisted and creepy tale that Amanda has produced. Amanda certainly knows how to grab your attention with an eye catching synopsis and she then reels the reader in. Reading ‘The Island House’ was a bit like being on a scary and unpredictable rollercoaster ride with many twists and turns along the way. For me, ‘The Island House’ was a bit of a slowburner. The story gathers pace and momentum before reaching a tense and dramatic conclusion.
In short and overall I did enjoy reading ‘The Island House’ and I would recommend it to other readers. I will certainly be reading more of Amanda’s work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a well deserved 4* out of 5*.

A DARK FAMILY SECRET
When Alice’s father dies after a tragic hit and run, his death stirs up unanswered questions about her childhood. Who was her mother, why did her father never speak of the past, and why can’t she remember anything before the age of seven?
AN ISLAND CUT OFF
But when she receives an anonymous letter containing a photograph of a refurbished gothic guesthouse surrounded by water, and an invitation to stay, old memories fight to resurface.
Alice has visited before. She is certain of it.
WHO WILL SURVIVE?
Convinced the clues to her past lie at the hotel, she checks in. But once on the island, a wild storm rages, waves crash violently into the rocks, and the house is cut off by the roaring sea.
Then two guests are found dead. And the hotel owner is missing. Will Alice ever uncover her secret past?
And will anyone leave the island alive?

This is a rollercoaster of a read.
I read in one sitting as I had to know if I had it figured out yet!
Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start.
Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believable.
Great suspense and found myself second guessing every thought I had continuously.
Can't wait to read what the author brings out next.
Recommend reading.
.

I read a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review.

There were some really creepy parts to this story that I enjoyed. I liked the use of the ventriloquist dolls/puppets and the idea of this creepy house on an island just waiting to be explored. At times it reminded me of The Guest House and Every Vow You Break with the inability to get off of the island when needed. I also enjoyed the alternating storylines that eventually came together at the end. However, I felt this was predictable in terms of the whodunnit aspect. I wasn't very vested in the characters. Once I got through the slow build, I felt it was a quick and easy to finish read.

Thank you to NetGalley and HQ for this ARC.

Gratifying Atmospherics…
A cut off guesthouse, an island, crashing waves, family secrets, missing persons, not to mention a killer on the loose - the scene is set for a chilling and twisted tale of suspense and this one delivers in spades. With some gratifying atmospherics, which work here so perfectly, and a well placed sense of the unexpected this is a wholly satisfying read from start to finish. No matter if events seem unlikely, this is simply hugely enjoyable.

This was a twisting, turning, atmospheric read that kept me up until I finished it.

Following Alice as she travels to an island off the coast of Suffolk the locked door mystery element of this book is something I love.

I also enjoyed the multiple POVs and timelines, and the diary entry style of some chapters.

This book kept me guessing to the end and my only criticism is that I felt the ending was a little too quick, the whole book was teased and drawn out and then the explanation was over in a few pages.

Will definitely read more by this author.

This book had me up all night.... when I wasn't reading it then It was under my skin and I was thinking about it. Its eerily creepy and you won't be able to out it down until you get to that very last page. With the darker nights coming in then this sets the mood perfectly

I absolutely loved this book from the first few pages it was creepy, it really grabbed your attention from the start and then I could not leave it down. The story kept you addicted as you read each chapter so you just had to keep reading. It was so well written and the story had the thriller , mystery and definitely a lot to creep you out . I would highly recommend this book as a fantastic read and have recommended it to all my friends.

There’s no perfect family, we all have our little secrets and half truths. So, when Alice, our main character, starts having flashbacks from a childhood she can’t really remember, she will try to discover the truth, but at what price?
This is a story about family and parenthood; grieving and love; all this terms are not dangerous per se, but in a twisted mind they are enough to kill; so, what will stop it?
This story is told between two time lines; the present and the past, the present, where Alice has been invited to a remote island where nothing is what it seems. And then we have the memories from the past, two siblings, one of them is Alice’s father, their difficult childhood and how their relationship was broken.
Ok, let’s be honest, being invited in a remote hotel island from someone you don’t know is not something I would trust or accept the invitation from, even if my best friend is excited by it, it smells bad, really bad. Then, let’s mix-up some characters we don’t know but that seem to have some dangerous secrets and a missing boat to return to firm land… we have all the ingredients to have the perfect scary thriller!
It was easy to enter to the story, even if Alice is not a sweet character you can understand her need to discover what his father hid from her and who is threatening her. Also, the multiple characters of the story makes the reader make their own plots to discover the truth, because there’s someone with a twisted mind that is ready to kill.
Are you ready to visit “The Island House”?

I have read several of Amanda Brittany’s books now and she never disappoints. I really like her style of writing and I was drawn into this story from the very beginning. I actually read this in one sitting as I couldn’t put it down. What a dark and twisted thriller that totally gripped me all the way through and I certainly didn’t see that twist!

Alice’s father dies after a hit and run, leaving Alice with many questions unanswered about her childhood. Who was her mother? Where was she brought up in her early years? She has dreams about a house but can’t quite figure out where it is and why she remembers it. She receives an anonymous photograph of a gothic hotel which has been newly opened, but senses she has been there before. Along with her friend Leon, she checks into the hotel to see if she can discover links to the past.

A creepy hotel on a creepy island around Halloween with a storm raging makes a fantastic setting for this rollercoaster thriller! Absolutely loved it.

Many thanks to netgalley, the publishers and the author for an arc.

My thanks to NetGalley and publisher HQ for the ARC.

I quite enjoyed this book. It has an interesting plot which weaves between the past and present, gradually bringing the reader the full story surrounding the occupants of Flynn House - a Gothic construction on Seafield Island off the coast of Suffolk.

Present day in Whitby, Yorkshire, Alice Hadley learns of her father's death after a hit-and-run. Adam Hadley was a successful author, penning his works under E H Membrose but following his death someone leaked this reclusive millionaire's real name to the press. Alice engages Faith to run her Gothic-themed shop and the two become firm friends. Alice has never been able to remember anything of her life before about six years old and learned nothing from her father about her mother. However, she always suffered recurring nightmares centred around a Gothic House - or were they memories?

Cameron Patterson has opened Flynn House as a boutique Gothic hotel and on Halloween weekend the first guests are welcomed - all given complementary rooms. Alice, along with her erstwhile boyfriend Leon, together with Faith and her obnoxious new boyfriend Mitch, plus a handful of other guests are to enter a living nightmare as guests are murdered. How are they all connected to the house and who's murdering them and why?

We have intermittent narrative from the past contributing to the background - a past of horrors and twists.
However, the dialogue is terrible - B movie at best - amateur stage play at worst.
The author has done a good job of creating environmental atmosphere - a raging storm, no communications, no way to get off the island etc,

Sorry, but I really got hung-up on amateurish dialogue and "stage direction" of the main players negotiating their way around the hotel and grounds - little bit tedious. But, hey, that's just my opinion.

What a roller coaster my first book by Amanda Brittany and definitely NOT my last.

When Alice's famous Dad dies in a hit and run. The secret is revealed too everyone who he is. Grief stricken Alice is hounded by the press. With only her friend Faith by her side, Alice recieves an invitation that will change her life forever.

A solid read from a lovely kind author. I received an ARC copy of this book via #NetGalley for my honest review and feedback.

Wow, wow, wow.

Im a huge fan of Amanda Brittany's work, it is so addictive. I've read quite a few of her books now and they never disappoint.

She writes brilliant thrillers that really do mess with your head and really keep you guessing. Every time I thought I had this book sussed something else would happen and I would be back to square one.

A brilliant book that kept me on the edge of my seat.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I would like to thank Netgalley and HQ for and advance copy of The Island House, a stand-alone thriller set mostly on Seafield Island, Suffolk.

Alice Hadley is devastated when her father is killed in a hit and run incident. Homeschooled and reliant on her father, a man who fostered her dependency and hid their past, she drifts until an invitation to visit an island hotel arrives. She feels she knows the house and decides to go, but once she gets there the nightmare begins.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Island House, more than I expected to. I have a healthy suspicion when it comes to these manufactured scenarios, but I hadn’t read the author’s work before and decided to take a chance.

Well, what can I say? Yes, Alice finds herself in a living nightmare, marooned on an island with no means of communication, a murderer on the loose and people disappearing. So far, so clichéd, but the novel is more than that. There is a palpable sense of fear, unease and tension in the novel that works very well. There is also the mystery of why someone wants to, at minimum, frighten Alice. This is slowly unfurled in intermittent flashback scenes to the 80s and 90s featuring two residents of Flynn House and this is a constant guessing game as the reader tries to match them to present day characters. It’s a game I didn’t win.

The resolution to the novel is equally unlikely, but it’s clever and, more importantly, satisfying with all the loose ends tied up and a sense of peace and hope for the future.

The Island House is a fun read that I have no hesitation in recommending.